Media advocacy takes an activist approach; viewing media as a resource that must be aggressively pursued. There are two components to media advocacy: gaining access to the media and framing the coverage.
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Gaining access: Without access to the media, there can be no coverage. Gaining access can mean calling a reporter to tell him or her about a story, writing a letter to the editor or an op-ed piece, holding an event that the media will cover, etc.
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Framing the coverage: Mass media must compress complicated science, facts and arguments into very simple stories. Most stories “boil down” complicated arguments into labels and symbols. Advocates must work to ensure that the media delivers the right message to the public. This means maximizing the affirmative and minimizing the negative symbols and values associated with their message. Coverage that frames an issue poorly can be worse than no coverage at all.
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